J. Rupert Thompson
Encyclopedia
J. Rupert Thompson, born July 14, 1964, is a director and producer of reality television
. He graduated from Noble and Greenough School
, a prestigious New England
preparatory school located in Dedham, Massachusetts
in 1986, where he also co-captained the school's boys cross-country team. His credits include Fear Factor
, Wipeout, Kid Nation
, American Gladiators
, America's Next Top Model
, and Estate of Panic
. He is often credited for using intensive camera work in various formats of reality television, such as sped-up exterior shots and utilizing a huge number of cameras.
Thompson won the Directors Guild of America Award 2005 as Best Director - Reality Programs for Outstanding Direction in a Reality Series for the premiere of Fear Factor, Season 6.
Thompson started his career as an electrician on horror films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street
and The Blob
. He then became a freelance Director/Cameraman and shot segments for many clients, including the second season of MTV's The Real World
based in Los Angeles
.
Thompson was a partner at Evolution Film and Tape for ten years, from 1992 to 2002, where he created the popular children's television series Bug Juice
with his partner Douglas Ross for Disney Channel
.
Thompson currently resides in California
with his wife Laura and daughter Maya.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
. He graduated from Noble and Greenough School
Noble and Greenough School
The Noble and Greenough School, commonly known as Nobles, is a coeducational, nonsectarian day and boarding school for students in grades seven through twelve. It is located on a campus in Dedham, Massachusetts. The current enrollment of 550 students includes a balance of boys and girls, of whom...
, a prestigious New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
preparatory school located in Dedham, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in 1986, where he also co-captained the school's boys cross-country team. His credits include Fear Factor
Fear Factor
Fear Factor is an American stunt/dare reality game show. The original Dutch version was called Now or Neverland. When Endemol USA and NBC adapted it to the American market in 2001, they changed the name to Fear Factor. The show pits contestants against each other in a variety of stunts for a...
, Wipeout, Kid Nation
Kid Nation
Kid Nation is an American reality television show hosted by Jonathan Karsh that premiered on the CBS network on September 19, 2007 created by Tom Forman Productions and Endemol USA and aired on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET...
, American Gladiators
American Gladiators (2008 TV series)
American Gladiators is an American competition TV show that aired on NBC and Citytv in Canada. Hosted by Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali, the show matches amateur athletes against each other and the show's own "gladiators" in contests of strength, agility, and endurance...
, America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
, and Estate of Panic
Estate of Panic
Estate of Panic is an American reality show in which seven strangers compete to find cash in a large estate. The show is hosted by Steve Valentine, and produced by Endemol USA....
. He is often credited for using intensive camera work in various formats of reality television, such as sped-up exterior shots and utilizing a huge number of cameras.
Thompson won the Directors Guild of America Award 2005 as Best Director - Reality Programs for Outstanding Direction in a Reality Series for the premiere of Fear Factor, Season 6.
Thompson started his career as an electrician on horror films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American slasher film directed and written by Wes Craven, and the first film of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film features Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, Jsu Garcia, Robert Englund, and Johnny Depp in his feature film...
and The Blob
The Blob
The Blob is an independently made 1958 American horror/science-fiction film that depicts a giant amoeba-like alien that terrorizes the small community of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania...
. He then became a freelance Director/Cameraman and shot segments for many clients, including the second season of MTV's The Real World
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Thompson was a partner at Evolution Film and Tape for ten years, from 1992 to 2002, where he created the popular children's television series Bug Juice
Bug Juice
Bug Juice is a Disney Channel reality series that premiered on February 28, 1998. It was named after the slang term for large quantities of super-sweet juice drinks made with artificially flavored powder such as Kool-Aid that are often served at summer camps.The series focused around 20 kids and...
with his partner Douglas Ross for Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
.
Thompson currently resides in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with his wife Laura and daughter Maya.